PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa threw three touchdowns, ran for another and set the Big Ten Conference record for career passing yards in leading Maryland to a 42-24 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.
Tagovailoa hit 24 of 31 passes for 361 yards as the bowl-eligible Terrapins (7-5, 4-5) scored TDs on their first four possessions and never looked back in handing Rutgers (6-6, 3-6) its fourth straight loss. They have beaten the Scarlet Knights three straight times and five of six games.
Tagovailoa came into the game needing 268 yards passing to overtake Curtis Painter of Purdue for the conference career mark (11,163) and he had the record by halftime. He finished with 11,256 yards, hitting 10 different receivers in the game.
The younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had TD passes of 34 yards to Tai Felton, 17 to Roman Hemby and 44 to Corey Dyches to go along with a 6-yard scoring run in helping Maryland take a 28-3 lead. The drives covered 75, 55, 75 and 44 yards and needed 15 plays and less than six minutes.
Gavin Wimsatt scored on two sneaks and threw a 10-yard touchdown to senior Aaron Young on a day the Scarlet Knights honored 24 outgoing players. Wimsatt's first sneak was set up by a Max Melton interception, the only blemish on the day for Tagovailoa.
Kyle Monangai became the eighth player in Rutgers history and the first since Jawan Jamison in 2012 to have a 1,000-yard rushing season. He finished with 118 yards now has 1,099 yards rushing with a bowl game next month.
Jai Patel also kicked a 50-yard field goal for Rutgers, which would need to win a bowl game for its first winning season since 2014. Terps backup quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. scored on two 1-yard runs for Maryland's second-half touchdowns, the last coming with 1:24 to play.
Tagovailoa has throws multiple touchdowns in games 24 times in his career, the most of any active player in the conference. He now had 76 career TD passes and 15 games of at least 300 yards passing. Hemby finished with 113 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Felton finished with five catches for 140 yards for Maryland, which has now won seven games in each of its last three seasons.
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Both teams wait until Dec. 3 for invitations to play in postseason bowl games.
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